Absorption refrigerating system



an "ca- April 20, 1965 Filed Oct. 11. 1961 A. o. ANDERSEN 3,178,904 ABSORPTION REFRIGERATING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR ANDERSEN WWW A TTORNEYS.

April 0, 1965 A. o. ANDERSEN 3,178,904

ABSORPTION REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 11, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR 0. ANDERSEN BY WVW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,178,904 ABSORPTION REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Arthur 0. Andersen, La Crosse, Wis., assignor to The Trane Company, La Crosse, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 144,501 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-483) This invention relates to absorption refrigerating systems and more particularly to absorption refrigerating systems which have pumping means for circulating fluids in the system.

It has been common practice for such absorption refrigerating machines to have a separate pump and a separate driver for each fluid to be pumped. With separate pumps and separate drivers, there are many elements which can fail and prevent the system from operating. Furthermore, the cost of manufacture and the cost of operation are high when separate pumps are used to pump each of the various fluids.

It is an object of this invention to reduce the number of pumps and/or pump drivers required in absorption refrigerating systems which use pumps to circulate the fluids.

It is another object of this invention to provide a centrifugal pump having a partitioned impeller and a cooperating partitioned discharge chamber for pumping two liquids without substantial mixing of the liquids pumped.

It is another object of the invention to provide a centrifugal pump having a partitioned impeller and a partitioned discharge chamber in which the inlets to both passageways of the impeller are on the same side of the impeller.

It is still another object of the invention to provide in an absorption refrigerating system, a motor having a double extended shaft for driving a first pump at one end for pumping a first fluid and for driving a second pump at the other end, said second pump being of the centrifugal type and having a partitioned impeller and a cooperating partitioned discharge chamber for pumping two fluids of the system.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of an absorption system according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the pump of the absorption system of FIGURE 1 showing the conduit for conducting liquid to and from the pump.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of a modification 0f the absorption system of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the pump of the absorption system of FIGURE 3 showing the conduit for conducting liquid to and from the pump.

This invention relates to systems of the type described in Patent No. 2,986,906 granted June 6, 1961 to E. M. Stubblefield et a1. Reference is made to such patent for a more complete description of the system.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the absorption system shown is of the type having a single shell with a partition 11 separating a high pressure chamber containing a condenser 12, and a generator 14 from a low pressure chamber containing an evaporator 16 and an absorber 18. It should be understood that other arrangements might be used; for instance, the generator and the condenser might be in one shell and the absorber and evaporator might be in a second shell with conduits therebetween for conducting fluids.

Various combinations of refrigerant and absorbent 3,178,904 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 may be used. A solution of lithium bromide and water has been found to be highly satisfactory for use.

The absorber 18 has a coil 20 supplied with cooling fluid from a source 22 to remove heat from the absorber. This cooling fluid is conducted by a conduit 24 to a cooling coil 26 in the condenser 12 and the cooling fluid leaves the machine through a conduit 28. The cooling coil 26 in the condenser 12 removes heat from and condenses the refrigerant vapor in the condenser.

The generator 14 has a heating coil 30 supplied with heating fluid from a source 32. The heating fluid is discharged from the coil 30 through a conduit 34. The coil 30 beats the absorbent solution in the generator causing it to boil and force refrigerant vapor into the condenser 12. The condensed refrigerant in the condenser 12 flows through an opening 36 into the evaporator 16. The absorbent solution in the absorber 18 reduces the pressure in the absorber 18 and in the evaporator 16 by the absorption of refrigerant vapor, thus causing the refrigerant in the evaporator 16 to boil. A low temperature is thus maintained in the evaporator 16.

Evaporator 16 has a coil 38. Fluid from a refrigerating load such as an air conditioning system enters the coil 38 through a conduit 40. This fluid is reduced in temperature in the coil 38 and returns to the refrigerating load through conduit 42. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 16 flows through a conduit 44 to a pump 46 which is driven by a motor 47. Pump 46 has a discharge conduit 48 for conducting the fluid discharged by the pump to a spray tree 50 in the evaporator 16.

Concentrated absorption solution flows from generator 14 through a conduit 52 to heat exchanger 54 and thence through a conduit 56 to pump 58.

Dilute solution flows from absorber 18 through conduit 60 to inlet conduit 62 which is connected to pump 58.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the pump 58 has an impeller 66 of the centrifugal type mounted on and driven by shaft 68 of motor 47. Impeller 66 has a back plate 70 and a partition 72. Blades 74 extend between back plate 70 and partition 72. Impeller 66 has an outer wall 76 and blades 78 extending between partition 72 and outer wall 76. Outer wall 76 is in rotative sealing engagement with conduit 62.

Conduit 56 is in fluid communication with the inner passageway 80 of impeller 66. Passageway 80 is contained between backplate 70 and partition 72. Inlet conduit 62 is in fluid communication with outer passageway 82 of impeller 66. Passageway 82 is contained between partition 72 and outer wall 76. Inlet conduit 62 is also in fluid communication with inner passageway 80 of impeller 66. Therefore passageway 80 pumps dilute solution from conduit 62 and concentrated solution from conduit 56.

Pump housing 85 has a first discharge chamber 86 in fluid communication with passageway 80. Discharge chamber 86 is in fluid communication with conduit 87 which conducts the discharged mixed solution to spray tree 88 in the absorber 18.

Pump housing 85 has a second discharge chamber 90 in fiuid communication with passageway 82. Discharge chamber 90 conducts the discharged dilute solution to conduit 92 through which it flows to heat exchanger 54 and thence through conduit 94 to the generator 14.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show a modification of the invention. In this modification the dilute solution enters the inner passageway of the impeller and both dilute and concentrated solutions enter the outer passageway. The solution conduits to and from the pump are modified and they will be described in detail. In other respects the system is the same as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the concentrated solution flows from heat exchanger 54 through conduit 95 to inlet conduit 96 and thence into outer passageway 82 of impeller 66. Dilute solution flows from conduit 61 into innerpassageway 80 and into outer passageway 82 of impeller 66. Therefore outer passageway 32 delivers a mixture of dilute solution and concentrated solution.

The dilute solution is conducted from discharge chamber 86 through conduit 98 to heat exchanger 54. The mixed solution is conducted from discharge chamber 98 through conduit 99 to spray tree 88 in the absorber.

While I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, I contemplate that many changes may be made without departing from the scope orspirit of my invention, and I desire to be limited only by the claims.

I claim:

1. In an absorption refrigerating system, the combination of anabsorber, an evaporator, a generator and a condenser, a motor, a pump secured to said motor to be driven thereby, said pump having an impeller with a first passageway and a second passageway, a first conduit connected to receive dilute solution from said absorber and having an open end substantially at the entrance to and in fluid communication with the first and second passageways of the impeller to discharge the dilute solution into the first and second passageways of the impeller, a second conduit connected to receive concentrated solution of absorbent from said generator and having an open end substantially at the entrance to the second passageway of the impeller to discharge concentrated solution into the second passageway of the impeller to mix with dilute solution from said first conduit, 3; third conduit for conducting dilute solution from the first passageway of the impeller to said generator, and a fourth conduit for conducting solution from the second passageway of the impeller to said absorber.

2. In an absorption refrigerating system, the combination of an absorber, an evaporator, a generator and a condenser, a motor, a first pump secured to one end of said motor to be driven thereby, conduit for conducting refrigerant from said evaporator to the intake of said first pump, conduit for conducting refrigerant from the discharge of said first pump to said evaporator, a second pump secured to the other end of said motor to be driven thereby, said second pump having a first passageway and a second passageway, conduit for conducting dilute solution of absorbent from the absorber to the first passageway of'said second pump, conduit for conducting dilute solution of absorbent from the first passage- Way of said second pump to the generator, means for conducting dilute solution of absorbent from the absorber and concentrated solution of absorbent from the generator to the second passageway of said second pump and substantially maintaining separation of said solutions to the entrance of said solutions into the second passageway of said second pump, and conduit for conducting a mixture of dilute and concentrated solutions of absorbent from the second passageway of said second pump to said absorber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,280,272 4/42 Sullivan 103-7 2,518,180 8/50 Reid 62487 2,678,547 5/54 Ashley 62-487 2,929,222 3/60 Lang 62487 X 2,990,779 7/61 Reinecke 103-7 3,055,194 9/62 Fink 62-483 3,132,493 5/64 Peckham et al 62-483 FOREIGN PATENTS 317,933 1/20 Germany.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN ABSORPTION REFRIGERATING SYSTEM, THE COMBINATION OF AN ABSORBER, AN EVAPORATOR, A GENERATOR AND A CONDENSER, A MOTOR, A PUMP SECURED TO SAID MOTOR TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY SAID PUMP HAVING AN IMPELLER WITH A FIRST PASSAGEWAY AND A SECOND PASSAGEWAY, A FIRST CONDUIT CONNECTED TO RECEIVE DILUTE SOLUTION FROM SAID ABSORBER AND HAVING AN OPEN END SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE ENTRANCE TO AND IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE FIRST AND SECOND PASSAGEWAYS OF THE IMPELLER TO DISCHARGE THE DILUTE SOLUTION INTO THE FIRST AND SECOND PASSAGEWAYS OF THE IMPELLER, A SECOND CONDUIT CONNECTED TO RECEIVE CONCENTRATED SOLUTION OF ABSORBENT FROM SAID GENERATOR AND HAVING AN OPEN END SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SECOND PASSAGEWAY OF THE IMPELLER TO DISCHARGE CONCENTRATED SOLUTION INTO THE SECOND PASSAGEWAY OF THE IM- 